The Pistons' primary concern this offseason has been distancing themselves from their former coach and courting a new, more stable replacement. Both objectives were accomplished. Was it the right move? Probably not. While they certainly had their reasons to terminate Larry Brown, especially with Flip Saunders waiting in the wings, everyone is going to scrutinize the decision and second-guess it if the Pistons don't end up right back in the finals, where L.B. led them in both his seasons. Grade: C-.

Key Players

Ben Wallace: He's one of the best defenders ever to play the game.

Richard Hamilton: Hamilton's ability to knock down that mid-range jumper reminds us of what Reggie Miller used to bring to the Pacers.

Role Playing

Lindsey Hunter, GuardMr. Steady: His contributions are invaluable, yet often go unnoticed. He's a superb defender, knocks down the open jumper and can play either guard spot. Flip Saunders is going to love having him at his disposal.

Antonio McDyess, ForwardReloaded: He's not as explosive as he once was, but he's really found his new niche knocking down short jumpers and finishing in the post. He was brilliant in the playoffs and should play a large role backing up Rasheed Wallace.

Darko Milicic, ForwardEmerging?: Who knows how much time he'll actually get, but it's safe to say he'll play a lot more than he did under Larry Brown. He had a strong preseason and may surface as a quality shot blocker.

Burning Question

Can Rasheed Wallace blossom playing Kevin Garnett's role? Flip Saunders envisions his offense running through 'Sheed in the post, taking advantage of the forward's court vision, passing skills and quality outside shot.Wallace's numbers have dipped since joining Detroit, but he could be in for a big season in this new regime.